THE HUMEM STATE

The humem-state’s primary purpose is to provide a perpetual home for people’s extended presences (EPs).

Specifically, the humem-state shall establish, maintain, and develop an environment in which a broad diversity of humems, which are formally recognized consolidations of people’s extended presences, can prosper while maintaining the interests of the humems’ originating people.

Like a well-functioning nation-state, a good humem-state must create and support a state-of-the-art environment, which adapts to humems’ evolving needs and to the ever-changing external world.

In the same way that it is impractical or grossly inefficient for people to individually provide services or create infrastructures such as roads, safe water, power, public health facilities, emergency services, and defense forces, humems and their human counterparts cannot individually set up and sustain the large-scale systems necessary for the humems’ welfare.  A dedicated state-like environment is vital to provide the communal services and protections required to allow humems to function and prosper most efficiently. Furthermore, in order for EPs to persist indefinitely, even following their corresponding people’s (alpha-people’s) deaths, they clearly require a separate system in which they can exist independently of the legal standing or “life status” of their alpha-people.

At first glance, this conception of the humem-state may appear to be a distant, sci-fi-like, vision. Yet, nothing substantial needs to be invented or changed—technologically or legally— for its inception. Although it will take time for it to develop its fuller potential, the establishment of the first humem-state and the services it provides is entirely feasible within existing jurisdictions and given current technology. The state’s initial embodiment first and foremost addresses people’s lifelong data management needs—it establishes the framework for alleviating current pressing personal data shortcomings relating to data aggregation, utilization, upkeep, privacy, ownership, and control.

From another perspective, because of the geo-political structure of nation-states, and because the humem-state’s political and economic interactions with nation-states will be comparable to existing interstate interactions, the long-term viability of the humem-state requires it to eventually become an independent peer to other states. Over time, multiple humem-states will emerge and compete, which will impel their continual improvement. The option of humem migration from one humem-state to another will ensure that humems are able to exist in an environment best suited to their needs.

The policy of the humem-state described in this section should be regarded as an interim plan, a work in progress. Its more mature form will be determined later by a broader assembly of founders and eventually by an elected governing body. Nevertheless, there are a number of core principles that will most probably persist: the following pages offer an outline of how these may appear and function.